Chapter 30 Sweet Yet Cruel

Chapter 30: Sweet Yet Savage

Qin Shuyi was grateful that she had changed her mind last night and didn't return to the place they used to live together.

Otherwise, waking up in the morning to find herself being disposed of would have been rather awkward.

Arriving at the company, she noticed a group of people staring at her intently.

She calmly held up her hands. "We broke up."

"What?" A chorus of groans and wails rose up.

All the sweet moments they had witnessed had now turned into stones that grated on their teeth.

"He really cheated? No way! How can someone with such a devastatingly handsome face do such despicable, trashy things?"

"Ugh, we should have thrown last night's dinner in his face."

"Out with the old, in with the new. I'll introduce you to someone better. That guy from next door has been hanging around our company forever, just waiting for you to be single."

"..."

Everyone chattered away, all feeling indignant on Qin Shuyi's behalf.

Feeling the morning sunlight streaming through the window, her lips curved into a slight smile. "It's not that complicated. He didn't cheat. We broke up simply because we weren't compatible."

It was a peaceful breakup, and she had no intention of dragging her ex's name through the mud.

Last night's scene was easily misunderstood, but Qin Shuyi believed nothing had happened between him and Tao Wangxi.

Not because his moral compass was particularly strong, but because Young Master Ling would disdain doing something as low-class as cheating.

He had many female companions in the past and changed them frequently, but never had overlapping relationships.

During their relationship, he had indeed kept his promise not to fool around.

What she trusted was Ling Jue's inherent pride.

Moreover, for practical reasons, he wouldn't allow his future Mrs. Ling to bear the stigma of being a homewrecker.

Hearing Qin Shuyi's explanation, everyone stopped cursing the supposed scumbag.

Instead, they expressed regret over the split of such a visually stunning couple.

Just based on appearances, they couldn't imagine anyone more suited to stand beside each other than those two.

But if Qin Shuyi said they were incompatible, they believed her.

Having worked with Qin Shuyi for quite some time, they could tell her family was well-off. Her parents had raised their daughter comfortably, but only compared to ordinary people.

Qin Shuyi herself had no interest in luxury brands, lived a simple life, and most of her expensive accessories were gifts from her parents and aunt.

But the man who appeared that day, seen twice, was either in a Ferrari or wearing a Patek Philippe, with cufflinks worth as much as an ordinary person's apartment.

Places they had to save up painstakingly to afford a meal at, he was a VIP guest personally escorted by the restaurant manager.

For ordinary people like them, choosing a partner required careful consideration of the other's family background, personal ability, parents' pensions, and family relationships, scrutinizing every detail. Marriages among elite families were undoubtedly even more stringent.

Cinderella was a fairy tale for children; the adult mantra was "marrying within one's social class."

The office fell quiet for a moment.

Probably also struck by the harsh reality.

But soon, someone snapped back to attention. "So what if the rich are picky about marriage? No one here wants to climb that social ladder anyway. What we should be thinking about is that the next project is here, everyone. Whose turn is it to travel for work this time?"

An even louder chorus of wails erupted.

"No way! Please, boss, take on fewer projects!"

"Not even with double the bonus?" the boss's voice interjected.

Everyone jolted.

"Boss, you just say the word. I think I can work until I'm eighty!" she said with shameless flattery.

The boss pushed her face away in disgust. "Eighty? Are you the embalmer or a client waiting in line?"

A colleague clutched her chest. "So harsh! Boss, lick your lips and see if you can poison yourself."

"Whether I can poison myself or not, I don't know. But I've already poisoned my ex-husband, and one more won't make a difference."

"That won't happen. I'm much tougher than your ex-husband."

Laughter immediately filled the office.

The boss, Jiang Mulan, was a stylish and beautiful woman in her forties. It was said her family had been in the funeral business for generations, with ancestors who were famous metaphysical masters.

This high-end funeral company not only catered to wealthy clients with custom services but also collaborated with the government on charitable initiatives, taking in the remains of many unclaimed female bodies, most of whom had led difficult lives with no one to rely on in this world.

This was also why Qin Shuyi had chosen to work here.

The boss often claimed to be a pragmatist who put money first, but Qin Shuyi felt she was clearly an idealist through and through.

The stark class disparities in society were vividly highlighted in the two completely different types of funerals they handled, yet warmth and kindness between people were also everywhere, evident even in matters of life and death.

Jiang Mulan always had a youthful mindset and was very informal with her staff. She was merciless when it came to self-deprecation.

Seeing Qin Shuyi's relaxed smile, not overly distressed by the breakup, she patted her shoulder.

"A loss may turn out to be a gain. I see great fortune in you. You should have a smooth, worry-free life. Ling Jue losing you is his loss."

She was probably the first person in the company to know about Qin Shuyi and Ling Jue's relationship.

Although the Jiang family was in the funeral business, their status and assets were quite decent. After she took over the family business and started ruthlessly making big money off the wealthy, the profits soared even more.

Unlike her subordinates, who at most followed tabloid gossip about the rich, she knew the Ling family's standing and had met Ling Jue.

That kind of dashing, exceptionally brilliant genius was someone the younger generation of girls in their circles flocked to.

The first time she saw Qin Shuyi by his side at a charity banquet, she was undoubtedly shocked.

However, unlike most people who doubted the match, she actually felt they were very compatible.

This Young Master was notoriously reckless with his life, pursuing every thrilling and dangerous activity, yet he was ruthlessly efficient and meticulously cautious, far surpassing even his father, who had already outshone his peers from the previous generation.

Probably, many people privately wished he'd die in some extreme sports accident.

Such a playboy living life on the edge needed a gentle, tolerant, good girl to tame him.

Wind without roots can never find where it belongs, and willows without wind, with no ripples or movement, would just be dull.

It's only when two mismatched puzzle pieces fit together that you get to sample all the flavors life has to offer.

What a pity.

Qin Shuyi smiled, "Boss, you know fortunes? I'll listen to you then."

Jiang Mulan raised an eyebrow, "Of course, I did pick up a few tricks from the family trade. So, want me to see where your destined one is?"

As for Ling Jue or whatever, just write him off—he's not the fortunate one.

...

In the minds of Qin Shuyi's colleagues, her ex-boyfriend Ling Jue, now as good as ashes, was staring at that clean, no-nonsense reply.

She was really so obedient. Even when he abruptly broke up with her—without reason, without explanation, without a proper farewell—she just gently said, "Okay."

She didn't cry to get him back, pour her heart out, or cling on desperately, trying to wring some advantage out of it, whether openly or in secret.

So calm, so gentle, so polite—it gave no one any grounds to blame her.

Eyes bloodshot from a sleepless night, he felt a mocking smile spread across his face.

Truly, Qin Shuyi.

Both obedient and heartless.

Perfect.

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